Dr Gavin Schwartz-Leeper has been appointed as a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Senior Fellowships are awarded to recognize leadership and excellence in higher education. The examining panel commented that they were particularly impressed by his "contribution to the development of the department’s distinctive pedagogy of transdisciplinary problem-based learning. His support for colleagues and students has created a strong culture of enquiry, and an environment which supports students as partners in co-developing in the curriculum. Particularly innovative is the way in which he begins to enculturate students before they arrive at Warwick, and mechanisms he has developed to support students as they transition into and through the programme. Evidencing leadership within a flattened hierarchy can be challenging, but it is clear that he has been instrumental in leading iterative change."

The Higher Education Academy (HEA) is the national body which champions teaching excellence. They work with governments, ministries, universities and individual academics in the UK, and around the globe. The HEA provides value to the HE sector by focusing on the contribution of teaching as part of the wider student learning experience.